Idioms
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As a result of this, this forum is now closed.
The English dictionary community team would like the opportunity to say a huge thanks to all of you who participated by posting questions and helping other community members.
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Idioms
Hi
What is the meaning of " the more" in the following passage?
Is it an idiom?
As there is no incontrovertible evidence, the more expensive bread (or coffee, etc.) must compensate by increased advertising.
Comments
@MohammadReza, there's not enough evidence in this one isolated sentence.
This is meaningless because the sentence doesn't explain Evidence of what?.
Before we can tell the meaning, we need to know What's the grammar?.
Two possibilities:
1. part of the NOUN PHRASE the more expensive bread
2. an ADVERB introducing a CLAUSE the more expensive bread is
The problem with [1] is that it produces the clause
the more expensive bread (or coffee, etc.) must compensate
Again this makes no sense because it doesn't explain Compensate for what?.
The problem with {2] is that it's only one clause.
This use of the more is employed in two parallel clauses. For example
the more the consumers turn to cheaper food and drink, the more expensive bread must ....
Thanks for your answer.
The whole passage;
Supermarkets now carry their own products to compete with the national brands. These
“house” brands are not in a felicitous position because they cannot be advertised widely.
Supermarkets overcome this encumbrance by making these brands less expensive. Many
people believe the shibboleth, “You get what you pay for,” and they purchase items on the
pr emise that quality varies as the price does. Are the claims made by nationally advertised
brands bogus? How can one bread company substantiate its nutritive superiority over
another? As there is no incontrovertible evidence, the more expensive bread (or coffee, etc.)
must compensate by increased advertising. They make inordinate claims, using those
raucous techniques proven so successful in convincing the frugal consumer to switch to a
more costly brand.
OK, this is how I read it.
The companies that produce bread with branded names claim that their products are more nutritious than the 'own brand' bread sold by the supermarkets. But they produce no evidence to substantiate that claim. Does that mean that the claim is a lie? How can the brand-name bakeries persuade the public? If they can't deploy evidence, they must deploy more and more advertising.
On this reading, the more expensive bread means 'the people who produce the more expensive brands of bread'.
It's like saying
Oil and coal have persuaded some politicians to doubt climate change.
or
Agriculture was opposed to the treaty.
or
The press is united.
In these examples, it's really people who do things
But a figure of speech presents a situation in which things do things
Thanks so much 👏🌷🌼